Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Pope Francis exchanged gifts during a 25-minute meeting at the Vatican on Monday.

Accompanied by his wife Sara, Netanyahu gave the Pope a copy of a book about the Spanish inquisition written by his father, a prominent historian, bearing the inscription: “To His Holiness Pope Francis, great guardian of our common heritage.”

Sara Netanyahu told the Pope at the end of the meeting, “We are expecting you, we can’t wait.” The meeting comes after the Pope, citing a full schedule, declined to meet with Netanyahu in October, fueling speculation in Israeli media of a pontifical snub.

Israel behaves to benefit only itself
grossly and cruelly violating human rights, decency, and
international law. A Pariah among nations. Continuing illegal annexations, settlement expansion
and ethnic cleansing have also precluded any negotiated two state
solution. The Jewish State must be made to recognize an armed
Palestine with externally enforced autonomy, eviction of all
settlers, true contiguity encompassing Gaza, the West Bank and
Jerusalem together, neither pinched nor parceled, and pay punitive
reparations. American foreign policy must again serve American
interests, not the Jewish state's paranoid pursuit of
invulnerability, territorial conquest and apartheid supremacist
empire in and beyond the Mideast.

Th Palestinian Fatah leader Abbas wanting to flood Israel with 5,000,000 Arabs as part of the peace plan will be rejected by April 2014 for Israel won't commit nation suicide to please the Palestinians. The Palestinians actions will lead to the Psalms 83:1-18 and all terrorists Al-Qaeda, Hamas and others shall perish (Psalms 83:17) in the areas which surround Israel. (Psalms 83:6-8) There will then be 2-3 years where Israel lives safely (Ezekiel 38:11) before the Gog/Magog war of (Ezekiel 38:1-39:4) take effect.

Way to go, TIME, keep fanning those flames of hatred for Jews! Don't mention that the book was written by Netanyahu's father or that the Pope gave him an image of a Christian saint. Keep up the good, Goebbel's-worthy work of fine journalism!

Perhaps we could present a book of all the names of post hippy anarchists and secular Jews that have discriminated against conservative scriptwriters in Hollwood with Christian ideals over the last 30 years.

Perhaps Netanyahu can present a realistic record of Americas record in the middle east as I state in the facts below.

This is not the Post Obama era but the continuance of the mission creep era and the left is pushing it along strongly inside America while backing off from it after the disaster of mission creep in Libya. Illiberals will never be honest where they are taking you because that is the point of mission creep and Obamacare is a perfect example and the use of Travyn Martin and others as tools to disarm citizens.

What we do know is that the U.S, under Clinton and Obama, in controvention of International law, were with the U.N and NATO supporting Oman and other Sunni interests in importing weapons into Libya prior to Gadaffi being killed. Once he was killed the Benghazi terrorists along with others raided all the extra weapons piles including anti-aircraft missiles that ended up later in Syria with many weapons going to the Palestinians to fire at Israel. Many of these are being used against the Egyptian military by allies of the Muslim Brotherhood.

No doubt these weapons also killed your ambassador and other Americans.

The failure to secure these existing stockpiles, and of imported U.S special forces weapons is truly pathetic. These night vision gear and weaponry no doubt has ended up in Syria and Egypt and goodness knows where else. Was this deliberate or just gross incompetence again like Fast and Furious?

The truth is Gadaffi gave up his nuclear program to get a bayonett up his backside but that set a precedent for many nations to buy up armaments and seek to have the ultimate weapon of sovereignty which is nuclear if they did not have one.

Think about what happened in your own nation when the President wanted to take over your soverign right to bear arms. There was a rush for wespons and more ammunition. This proves that not only do other nations not trust the U.S anymore and their mission creep that was on full display in Libya that ended up with a bayonet up Gadaffis backside; but U.S citizens do not trust the mission creep of the Obama administration. Certainly that mission creep is resulting in the replacement of generals and officers in your armed services.

China and other nations must be rubbing their hands together while laughing at this incompetent administration. Why else would they dare to mark out territories over Japanese islands. They know that every action Obama now takes is tainted with a mission creep legacy and that they would have no moral credibility to challange this latest bold move. Obama and his administration has smashed any idea of exceptionalism because his administration is the archetype of incompetence.

After this mission creep will it be a surrendor to China and Iran? It certainly looks that way and America will just take a back seat of "whatever" because that is consistent with his social policies in America which is supported by a whole 47% that has a "whatever "attitude when it comes to voting for the ideas that will shape their country. The killing of exceptionalism is obviously a product of an expanding welfare class titilated by a President that has more in common with Hollywood values as he said than the real American values that once made your nation the greatest nation on earth.

Americans should not just be worried by the mess of Obamas foreign policy revolving around mission creep but more importantly mission creep in their own country. Its what's left over after that is the big issue and that is a whole lot of scrambled eggs.

Not Pope Francis, but, his predecessor, Pope Benedict deserves such a gift, whose view of the history was shown to be so skewed and distorted. The Spanish Inquisition wasn't so much targeted at the Jews as it was against the Muslims. The Christiandom however, does a great job of glossing over its ugly past that was full of ignorance, intolerance, and unprovoked wars with killing of innocent men, women, and children and so much of blood letting and tries to show itself in the colors of kindness and godliness - the saddest part being the wars, the killings, and hatred have continued and are still very much order of the day.

What is wrong with you people? Do you really believe the Pope isn't aware of the history of the Spanish Inquistion? The book was written by Netenyahu's father. Notice that the pope gave Netenyahu a plaque of Saint Paul. Both these men are far more sophisticated than the commenters here who bring their own prejudices to bear on a situation where the exchange of gifts is supposed to be evocative of the givers' beliefs and histories. Notice that the inscription in the book was most respectful, and I'm sure the Pontiff meant no disrespect by presenting the Israeli PM with an object of the Catholic religion. Lighten up, people. Don't create friction where there is none.

People are focused on the (possibly inappropriate) gift from Netanyahu to the Pope. How about the Pope's gift to Netanyahu? A carving of Paul?!!? Giving a carving (read “idol”) of a very prominent Pharisee who turned his back on Judaism and become a prominent Christian is pretty amusing as well.

Surprisingly, Jewish people were immune from the Spanish Inquisition. As long as you did not convert to Christianity, then participate in Jewish rites, you were fine. If you did not convert, you were fine. I wonder if Netenyahu's uncle mentions this in his book?

A book about the Spanish Inquisition, given as a gift, to the Pope, would be akin to giving Netenyahu a book on the Jewish concentration camps. It is the most inappropriate gift ever. How rude of Israel, but no surprise.

@simonzee197340 This is the United States of, not just America. We are a federal system. Your comment verges on making logical sense but seems to never quite reach that height. What I did take away clearly is that you are a foreigner from a country that has helped drag the USA into several wars in the MId-East since 9/11 (for those with short memories I'm talking about the strong pro-Israeli wing of the disgraced Neo-con gang, and a country that has been using US money and diplomatic backing to bribe our Congress and political parties and commit crimes against humanity among your subject peoples. And this has been going on for up to half a century now. That's what I take from your comment coming from Greater Israel, dude. Are you living in government subsidized housing for Jews only among your conquered subjects? Stay out of our domestic politics with your outstretched hands! Self-righteous, on the soap box, while your state is a perpetual drag on progress in the region you don't belong in and around the neck of the United States like a millstone drowning us.

NOTHING BUT ARROGANT IGNORANCE " GODS CHOSEN ONES " THAT SURE DID NOT BOLD WELL WITH ANOTHER ARROGANT EVIL / HITLER. NOTHING BUT IGNORANT STUPIDITY BUT EVERY ONE IS TO BE BLAMED FOR YOUR IGNORANCE / STUPIDITY. EVERYWHERE THROUGHOUT HISTORY WHEREVER YOU ZIONIST EVILS HAVE GONE THERE HAS BEEN NOTHING BUT DEATH AND DESTRUCTION.

@myskylark Good points but you have to remember that he is extremely disliked by many in the West because of what he stands for and who his supporters in our counties are. But good points. Though I don't know anything about the book his father wrote, second thought, not all books are all that, But I'll retract my comment and give him the benefit of the doubt on that. Still think he is Satan though.

ZIONISM TO EQUATE RELIGION WITH NATIONALISM . LIKE ASKING WHAT IS YOUR ETHNICITY/ NATIONALITY AND SAYING I AM CATHOLIC, BAPTIST , EVANGELICAL, JEWISH OR MORMON. ( JEW / JEWISH IS A RELIGION NOT A NATIONALITY )

@way2funny2believe Saint Paul who was crucified upside down in Rome? An idol? Maybe he shouldn't have been bothering the pope. Francis is a busy man. Maybe he should have just visited a local temple in Rome and stayed away from St. Peter's.

WARNING AMERICA ZIONISM IS NOTHING BUT ETHNIC CLEANSING . JESUS WAS ALSO A JEW / JEWISH RELIGION AND BRANCHED OUT OF THIS RELIGION AND WAS CRUCIFIED, FOR OUR FREEDOM, WE IN AMERICA ARE MOSTLY THE DECEDENTS / FOLLOWERS OF JESUS CHRIST / CHRISTIANS . ZIONISM AFTER THEIR DONE USING AMERICA THEY WILL DO WHAT THEY DID TO JESUS CHRIST. ZIONISM'S ULTIMATE ETHNIC, RELIGIOUS CLEANSING WILL BE OF CHRISTIANS.

@RichRobson Are you aware that the Church has declared that all Jews, both at the time of the Crucifixion and in all the years since, are not guilty of the killing of Jesus? Also, historical examination of the circumstances will reveal to you that Pontius Pilate was a bloodthirsty killer of anyone who spoke against Roman occupation, and he had many, many Jews crucified as threats to Rome. Crucifixion was a Roman method of execution, not a Jewish one. I'm sure Jesus offended the hierarchy of Jewish priests, but don't keep believing the nonsense that Pilate was a fair and just person who was so reluctant about killing Jesus. Jesus was a thorn in Pilate's side because he had developed a devoted following (Jews, of course) which created a threat of disobedience to Rome. I'm sad that you don't follow the teachings of your faith or the facts of history.

@jem4802 You are so wrong. Jews were tortured or exiled during the Inquisition if they refused to convert to Christianity. Holland welcomed the exiles with open arms, and it was from Holland that the first Jews came to America.

NOTHING BUT ARROGANT IGNORANCE " GODS CHOSEN ONES " THAT SURE DID NOT BOLD WELL WITH ANOTHER ARROGANT EVIL / HITLER. NOTHING BUT IGNORANT STUPIDITY BUT EVERY ONE IS TO BE BLAMED FOR YOUR IGNORANCE / STUPIDITY. EVERYWHERE THROUGHOUT HISTORY WHEREVER YOU ZIONIST EVILS HAVE GONE THERE HAS BEEN NOTHING BUT DEATH AND DESTRUCTION.

@ChoirBoy@AndreaShuman really? just because Nitanyahu does something silly does not give you permission to disparage all jews. This kind of childish and uneducated behavior does not make you patriotic, it makes you blind and seals you into a caricature of a cartoon patriot. As jews, we don't all participate in "group think" and automatically agree with everything Israel does. Get a clue. Thank you.

Now when morning was
come, all the chief priests and the elders of the people took counsel
against Jesus to put him to death: 27:2and they bound him, and led him
away, and delivered him up to Pilate the governor.

There are plenty of others like this if you care to research the subject. Of course if you don't believe the Bible, go ahead and believe whatever you want.

@myskylark I still remember when we used to sing the passion on Good Friday when I was altar boy in the Anglican Church. So it was English even in the 60's, The priest sang the quote "let this blood be on us and our children". I think Pope Paul VI around 68-72 personally crossed that out of the liturgy during or before a service at Saint Peter's so it's probably not sung any more. But the quote is still in the Bible. Though I can't tell you which or in how many of the four Gospels it appears in. It is a controversial passage and interpretation can take the sting out of it. The men writing those Gospels were Jews so it is easily open to interpretation but it isn't all clear cut as you seem to think at first reading. You are probably right about Pilate, most Christians recite the Nicene Creed at least on Sundays and there is a line "and he suffered under Pontius Pilate" on the other hand the Bible said that on account of troubled dreams by his wife he was disturbed by the case and told the mob he found no guilt in him and famously asked for a basin and a ewer of water to "wash his hands of..." I honestly ca't remember the rest. Not a church-goer for a long time. But you can see why Pilate like the mob that day are all open to different perspectives of viewing. It is the great gift of Judaism to have birthed the two great Western religions that have completely conquered Western man. It can be a curse too when the birthing was as bloody as the mysteries surrounding Christianity. Unlike Islam it was forged in an older mystery religion mold where blood and sacrifice take on a literal meaning. Sometimes the best thing you can do is leave something where it stands and walk on into the future and try not to get caught in a cobwebbed belfry, I mean sometimes it's better not to try to win some arguments, it isn't always necessary and then it becomes not a big deal and then it becomes literally the past.

@myskylark JESUS WAS ALSO A JEW / JEWISH RELIGION AND BRANCHED OUT OF THIS RELIGION AND WAS CRUCIFIED, FOR OUR FREEDOM, WE IN AMERICA ARE MOSTLY THE DECEDENTS / FOLLOWERS OF JESUS CHRIST / CHRISTIANS . ZIONISM AFTER THEIR DONE USING AMERICA THEY WILL DO WHAT THEY DID TO JESUS CHRIST. ZIONISM'S ULTIMATE ETHNIC, RELIGIOUS CLEANSING WILL BE OF CHRISTIANS.

ZIONISM TO EQUATE RELIGION WITH NATIONALISM . LIKE ASKING WHAT IS YOUR ETHNICITY/ NATIONALITY AND SAYING I AM CATHOLIC, BAPTIST , EVANGELICAL, JEWISH OR MORMON. ( JEW / JEWISH IS A RELIGION NOT A NATIONALITY )

THE BIGGEST THREAT TO DEMOCRACY AND THE FREE WORLD IS THE IGNORANT ZIONIST ISRAEL. IT TOOK US CENTURIES TO FREE OURSELVES FROM THE CATHOLIC CHURCH AND NOW IN THIS CENTURY EVIL IS SETTING UP THEIR VATICAN CITY.

@myskylark --Except for the fact that Pontius Pilot actually and literally washed his hands in a bowl of water right in front of the Jews, stating that this man has committed no crime against Rome and that any repercussions would be on their heads. PP was following Roman law that states that governors must follow the law of the local elders. But the fact is, the Jews didn't even follow their own laws, because no man could be convicted upon a unanimous decision; which Jesus was. When Jesus beat the Jewish money changers from the temple, the Jews decided then that he must go. So; NICE TRY, but I was raised Roman Catholic so I do know the New testament. But, the New Testamant is not a part of the Jewish bible so i can understand your confusion.

@myskylark@jem4802 The Spanish Inquisition was NOT a Church thing at all, and was totally different from the actual Inquisition, which was more a body seeking information, especially regarding errors, and false doctrines, and correcting these errors with correct information. However, this does not seem to be well known, and many assume that what happened in Spain happened elsewhere. It didn't.

@quaprocessor Who is imposing beliefs? Do you think the Pope denies the fate of Jews during the Spanish Inquisition? If you think that giving a historical, factual account of the murder and exile of Jews during the Spanish Inquisition is imposing Jewish beliefs, you don't want to acknowledge what all historians, including Spanish historians recognize as fact. Also, I don't think that the Pope giving the Jewish Netenyahu a plaque of Saint Paul is an attempt to impose his Catholic beliefs on the Jewish PM. Do you?

@AndreaShuman@ChoirBoy I was behind ChoirBoy till I read your comment and his previous one. Sometimes these boards bring out incivility in all of us. I apologize for what he said and my glib first reading.

@RichRobson@myskylark I thought you said you were a Catholic. Then why are you reading the Bible as a fundamentalist Baptist would. Don't you even know that the Catholic Church does not believe in a fundamental reading of the Gospels. Don't you know that the gospels were written long after Jesus lived as a man, and died. There are other gospels that don't agree with the four the Church agreed to keep - centuries after the death of Jesus, the man. Even the four that were chosen don't agree with each other on every point. God gave you a brain. The Church expects you to use it.

@simonzee197340No. It's actually from the Bible, which I understand you may think of as akin to "Harvey Book of Fakts." What authority do you use? Or are you just being emotional?

Here's the actual text if you are interested. (Don't worry, you won't break out in hives if you read just a couple of verses.)

Matthew 27:1 - Now when morning was
come, all the chief priests and the elders of the people took counsel
against Jesus to put him to death: 27:2and they bound him, and led him
away, and delivered him up to Pilate the governor.

@TapeisGlueandBacking@ChoirBoy@myskylark I don't think the Romans cared a whit about the temple incident. At least there is nothing in the Bible that would indicate that being the case. But maybe you could give us some reference to support your assertion. I'm always willing to learn something new.

If you read the Gospels, you will see that the Jews were SO strong in their demands that Pilate was afraid they would revolt if he didn't follow their demands to kill Jesus. And the Romans weren't usually that afraid, so the Jews must have been in some incredible frenzy to kill Jesus.

The Romans didn't kill people just because someone told them to do so. The whole story doesn't ring true, everyone agrees the Romans killed Jesus and if they did it blaming someone else, what does that say about the future Christians, the Romans?

The Romans killed a Jew, then spend the next 2,000 years (as Christians) blaming Jews for something the Romans did.

The reason the Romans killed Jesus is because Jesus cleared the Temple courts. All by himself. In a rage. What, exactly, could a man do in a rage to clear a busy city block? Think Time Square, what would someone have to do to clear Time Square on New Year's Eve? That's why the Romans were after Jesus, he did something at Mark 11 to get the Roman's attention.

@myskylark@quaprocessor --Except that they left out the part about non-Jews being tortured and murdered; and their numbers were much greater. Similar to the holycost of WWII where the Jews claim 6 million but that was a drop in the proverbial bucket when compared to all of the other religions and nationalities murdered.